Many boxes of various styles and features have been developed, each attempting to meet the requirements of packing, storing, displaying and/or shipping any of a variety of items.
Wraparound blanks have been developed that are used in automated and semi-automated packing systems. In such systems, the automatic case packing equipment (or “case packer”) generally feeds the wraparound blanks, receives the product packages, collates the product packages into product patterns, folds the box blank around the product pattern to create the form-fitted case, and then seals the form-fitted case with hot-melt glue. However, one problem with these systems is that the usage of the automatic case packaging equipment places significant restrictions on the size, material and type of box blank that can be employed. Though a blank made of a heavier material might more efficiently protect the product, the blank material must be thin and light enough to allow the standard automatic case packer to fold the sides of the blank to form the case.
A second problem involves stacking of conventional form-fitted cases created from wraparound blanks that have been automatically folded around product packages. These are commonly shipped in standardized steel shipping containers meeting the standards for size, shape and construction set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The uniform design of the ISO shipping containers is strong, theft-resistant, stackable and easy to load, unload, truck, ship and store. However, to minimize shipping costs, it is advantageous to fully utilize the entirety of the ISO shipping container interior space. Currently available cases formed from wraparound blanks are not sufficiently strong to be stacked to a height fully utilizing this cargo space, thus increasing the cost of shipping the product. Typically, currently available cases can only be stacked four cases high.
Accordingly, there is a need for a wraparound blank and an efficient method of creating a form-fitted case around the product packages by utilizing automatic case packer equipment that produces a form-fitted shipping case that is stronger to better protect product, and that can be stacked higher to utilize the cargo space within a standard ISO shipping container more efficiently.